File:Eminent Americans - comprising brief biographies of leading statesmen, patriots, orators and others, men and women who have made American history (1886) (14596431377).jpg

Identifier: eminentamericans02loss (find matches)
Title: Eminent Americans : comprising brief biographies of leading statesmen, patriots, orators and others, men and women who have made American history
Year: 1886 (1880s)
Authors: Lossing, Benson John, 1813-1891
Subjects:
Publisher: New York : John B. Alden
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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fe of Stephen Van Rensselaer, but he stilllabored on and hoped on in the higher sphere of duty of a benevolent Christian.Like his Master whom he loved, he was ever meek and lowly, and Avent 1. To encourage the emigration of an agricultural population to New Netherland (as New York wasoriginally called), the Dutch West India (ompany, under whose auspices the province was founded,granted to certain persons who should lead or send a certain number of families to make a settlementin America, large tracts of land with specified social and political privileges. Among the directors ofthe company who availed themselves of the offer, was Killian Van Rensselaer, who became the proprietorof Rensselaerwick, a territory in the vicinity of Albany about forty-eight miles long, and Iwenly-four wide. It was established in 16.S7, and the proprietor was called a Patioon, or patron ; a name de-rived from the civil law of Rome, which was given to owners of large landed estates. STEPHEN VAN EENSSELAER. 261
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about doing good. Frugal in personal expenditures, he was lavish, yet dis-criminating, in his numerous beneflictions. He did not wait for Misery to callat his door; he sought out the children of Want. To the poor and the ignoranthe was a blessing. In 1824, he founded a seminary for tlie purpose of quali-fying teachers for instructing tlie children of farmers and mechanics in the ap-plication of experimental chemistry, philosophy, and natural history,to agricul-ture, domestic economy, the arts, and manufactures. He liberally endowed it,and the ^■Rensselaer SchooV^ is a perpetual hymn to the memory and praise ofits benefactor. In the cause of the Bible, Temperance, and every social andmoral reform, Mr. Van Rensselaers time and money were freely given; and inthese labors he continued until death. He was an early and efficient friend ofinternal improvements, and, on the death of Dewitt Clinton, he was appointedpresident of the Board of Canal Commissioners. He held tliat station during t

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